Xbox One Scorpio Was A Bold Move By Microsoft; Nintendo NX and PS4 Neo Will Both Launch By Mid 2017- Pachter

Pachter sounds off on the three big upcoming console launches.

Michael Pachter has begun to sound off on the big news from E3, and it appears that, much like the rest of us, he, too, was taken aback by Microsoft formally announcing the Xbox One Scorpio this far out from release- he judged the maneuver to be a ‘bold move.’

Speaking in an episode of the GamerTag Radio podcast, he praised the decision, noting that it would help Microsoft get a leg up over Sony. “The hardware reveals were great. The Xbox One S really does look great and obviously the big reveal of Scorpio at the end was a big deal. I think Microsoft confirming the leaks was a big move, a bold move.

“I think the Xbox One S will be welcome at that right price, $299. The conspiracy theorist in me says, since Andrew House acknowledged the PlayStation 4 Neo to the Financial Times a few days before, Microsoft just said: ‘Screw it, we’re not going to let Sony be ahead of us, we’re just going to let people know we have something big coming too.'”

He also discussed the other big console launches of 2017- Nintendo’s NX, and Sony’s PlayStation 4 NEO, both of which, he says, will be out by mid 2017, though he does note that there is a chance that they are delayed a bit- at least the NX.

“You don’t have a company in the gaming space that’s better equipped to launch hardware than Sony,” Pachter said, speaking of the Neo. “They’ve been making consumer electronics for 70 years. I think the fact that we didn’t see Neo here means that it probably isn’t coming out this Holiday. If it was, that meant it was already in fabrication and we’d actually know about it; I think they’re just going to launch PlayStation VR in October and then the Neo sometime in April-June, probably ahead of the Holiday. It’s easier to launch a product in mid year because you don’t have gift givers buying it, so you don’t have quite as big of a demand and you can actually satisfy demand from the fanboys.

“For Nintendo, again, it’s back to manufacturing. I think if they were ready to launch the NX in March, they could have shown it here. I don’t think they’re going to be ready. If we don’t get an announcement on NX and we don’t see specs by August or September, I don’t think there’s a chance it comes out by March.

“I think that’s a Summer launch. So I actually think we might see PS4 Neo and the Nintendo NX right about the same time, mid-year 2017.”

I do think that the NX will be out by March, if recent reports are anything to go by- but who knows, Pachter was right about the NX being delayed into March before, when I believed it would launch by this year’s end, so he may be right this time. I’m just going to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.

Why get Neo or NX in summer, when you can wait 3 months and get the most powerful console the world has ever seen for probably a little bit more.

Doggystyle

Because this most powerful console that you are holding out for doesn’t have any good exclusive games that are worth purchasing it for.

What good is all that power if the games on it are all weak a** games like Quantum Break, Gears of War, and Forza? Why buy the most powerful Windows 10 console when you already have a better PC, that also plays Steam games? Besides the fact that no one wants anything to do with the Windows store. And some people like myself still refuse to install Windows 10 on our computers because we honestly couldn’t give half a shi* about these poorly selling crappy exclusive Xbox games that are now being made playable on PC.

Where as the NX and Neo will have actual great 1st party exclusive games that won’t be desperate enough to make up for lost console sales, that they would also need to be available on a Windows 10 PC. Scorpio is already dead on arrival.

Reclaimer13

Not having any good exclusives is opinion-based. I could say the only good exclusive on the ps4 is UC4 and we didn’t get that until almost 3 years into the ps4’s life cycle. Fact is 95% of games are multiplat so the Scorpio will be the best console to play the overwhelming majority of games and will have the superior console vr experience over psvr as well. If exclusives sold consoles the wii u would be in the lead because they have the most and the most highly rated exclusives this gen. I’ll be keeping my vanilla ps4 for the 1 good exclusive it gets every couple of years.. I’ll be picking up the nx day 1 for nintendo exclusives and I’ll be picking up the scorpio day 1 for everything else.. multiplats.. exclusives and vr.

Mark

Some people still don’t get it; seeing Scorpio run multiplats in either 4k and/or higher frame rates better than every other console, is going to be ENTICING to the hardcore crowd. What happens to the casuals, we’ll see

Jonathan Wallace

“Where as the NX and Neo will have actual great 1st party exclusive games that won’t be desperate enough to make up for lost console sales, that they would also need to be available on a Windows 10 PC” – How could releasing your 1st party exclusive games on BOTH your platforms instead of just one be a sign of desperation? It is a legitimately awesome feature for people who enjoy both console and PC gaming, and a move that would only make sense for Microsoft. You do remember that Microsoft owns both Xbox and Windows 10, right? So if you are gaming on Xbox or through their Windows 10 store, they win. I haven’t seen stats for this, but to me the idea that most console gamers do not have an equivalent gaming PC makes sense. Obviously, there are people who have all the consoles and a gaming PC at least as capable (if not waaay more capable) than their consoles, but most of the market just has one, because money. So while this move MAY lose a small percentage of console sales (those with gaming PCs who only bought an Xbox for exclusives), they are betting they make up for that in exclusive sales to PC-only gamers. Makes sense to me. Smart move Microsoft.

“What good is all that power if the games on it are all weak a** games like Quantum Break, Gears of War, and Forza?” – You not liking a console’s games is a great reason for YOU not to buy a console. However, millions of people like the Microsoft’s exclusives. I don’t own a PS4, mainly because I don’t care for their exclusives, but I UNDERSTAND WHY OTHER PEOPLE LIKE THEM, thus I understand why they bought the console. I really did like the looks of the new God of War they showed at E3 though.

“Why buy the most powerful Windows 10 console when you already have a better PC, that also plays Steam games?” – Well, again, this is a great reason for YOU not to buy the console, but I would guess that most people who buy consoles, DO NOT have a PC that could play the same games. Take myself for example. While I do have a laptop that can play SOME of my console games (some multiplats mainly), it can’t handle most of them and those it can it does poorly. Also, laptops are just pretty uncomfortable to play games on IMO, plus mine doesn’t handle heat well soooo yeah.

“Scorpio is already dead on arrival.” – Except for the millions of units they will sell, and the millions of games that will sell on the platform, yes you are right. Totally dead.

I hope both the Neo and Scorpio sell record numbers for their respective companies. Oh I guess I hope the same for the NX lol, poor Wii U, I really hope this is more successful.

Terminator

To much facts! To much logic! Good to see some people use that brain. Thumps up for you Jonathan Wallace.

kee1haul

So now exclusives count? Check the statement from Phil Spencer -more first party exclusives on Xbox. Aaaaaand there will be no great 1st party exclusives for Neo. Or Scorpio. You don’t read the news.

XbotMK1

Because the PS4 Neo launches before the Scorpio, the Neo will have way more games, the Neo will be cheaper, and the specs of the Xbox Scorpio aren’t much better than the PS4 Neo. And why buy the Scorpio when SIE will probably release a stronger PlayStation soon after the Scorpio? And why would a PS4 owner buy the Scorpio if they already have a collection of PS4 games?

It’s funny seeing you Microsoft drones flip flop and obsessing over specs now even though console performance is becoming a moot bragging point with the ability to release stronger consoles at will.

Jonathan Wallace

You are calling people “drones” because they simply prefer a different consumer product, makes it hard to take you seriously.

Also, specs aren’t ever moot seeing as how bragging about your yearly upgraded phone specs is still a thing. What anyways, consoles still may only upgrade every 3-4 years. That a decent amount of time to be locked in on specs.

Agent you doing the same flip flop when you say, “the specs of the Xbox Scorpio aren’t much better than the PS4 Neo”? The small difference between Xbox One and PS4 performance is STILL a huge talking point for fan boys, yet somehow the considerably larger difference between the Scorpio and NEO doesn’t matter? Lol

“And why buy the Scorpio when SIE will probably release a stronger PlayStation soon after the Scorpio?” – because the next Playstation after NEO won’t come out for another couple years? Because of exclusives? Because of your controller preference? Because you want both?

Seriously guys, I’m all for buying your preferred console for whatever reasoning, I’m also all for buying both and enjoying both consoles. However you are all being crazy by pretending that no one could possibly make a different purchasing decision than you. Golly gee, one person may buy a Playstation over an Xbox or vice versa for reasons X, Y, and Z. You may do the opposite because of your own reasons. One person’s choice has nothing to do with your own. Just enjoy your games on your console(s) of choice and….. That’s it.

XbotMK1

The reason why you’re a drone is because your logic is that of a hypocritical Microsoft drone.

Jonathan Wallace

So your come back is “you’re a drone because you’re a drone”. That is a logical fallacy. Way to go!

Terminator

Ignore XbotMK1 he is one of the biggest PS Fanboy Hypocrites you will ever meet.

Jonathan Wallace

I normally would, but I’m mega bored soooo why not?

XbotMK1

Are the games on Xbox One that boring to you?

Jonathan Wallace

Lol, if I had my Xbox here at work I would play it. Unfortunately I don’t.

XbotMK1

What games would you be playing besides inferior multiplats and a few mediocre exclusives?

Do you play Kinect games by any chance?

Jonathan Wallace

Lol, dude, you have made it abundantly clear that you don’t care for anything Xbox/Microsoft, and that is totally fine with me!

If I were home right now, I would be playing ARK: Survival Evolved (not yet on PS4 but will be later this year), Rocket League, Halo, or maybe Fallout.

I don’t have any problem conceding that multiplats on PS4 perform better than on Xbox One. This is probably the only point you’ve made that I can agree with (though lets be honest you don’t make many points, you just make up stuff and call people names for no reason). It really doesn’t matter to me though, since the differences I’ve seen in videos is really pretty small. My console preference is about exclusives games, the controller, console features, accessories, and now my backlog of 360 games that I can play on the Xbox One.

I do have a couple Kinect games I got free or dirt cheap, but the selection there is horrendous. Luckily I didn’t get the Kinect for the purpose of playing games, mainly for the navigation and using Skype.

Now I will honestly say, that if I had never owned a console before and I purchased at launch, I likely would have gone with the PS4 due to the slightly better multiplat performance and the lower (at the time). However, since I am accustomed to the stick placement of Xbox controllers (been on Xbox since the first), I love games like Halo, Crackdown and other exclusives, the Elite Controller (which I got with the bundle) is honestly superb and I also really love my Kinect for navigation and workouts (I purposely purchased, I was not forced to buy it in my bundle), and it is wonderful to be able to play any of the hundreds of backwards compatibility games. Oh also when I jumped to this generation, Xbox One was cheaper. It is way cheaper than PS4 right now, even the Xbox One S is cheaper (the unreleased 500GB version is only $299).

But nooooo people are totally crazy for buying Xbox One over PS4…personal preference is stupid! (sarcasm of course).

Microsoft has done plenty of things wrong with the Xbox One. They totally ruined their launch marketing: DRM, always online, anti-used games, forced Kinect bundling, and high price point. Although except for the pricing, those were not personally upsetting for me (I have no problem with being always online, I wanted the Kinect, and I have gone all digital this generation), I completely understand why that turned sooo many people off and really gave Sony a MAJOR lead in sales and that they continue to enjoy. I also wish they would have been the one with the better specs, but hey, I bought their console anyways for the reasons I stated above. Another issue is that despite their initial Kinect emphasis, they have a TERRIBLE line up of Kinect games, and what they have was implemented poorly. There seems to me to be tremendous opportunity for at least one (preferably many) simple Kinect game that is done well. The Kinect Sports for the 360 was decent, but the original Kinect’s motion tracking wasn’t all that great. If they remade that game for Kinect 2.0 I would probably buy it. However, they made a different Kinect 2.0 sports game, and it is sooo poorly made IMO.

Luckily for us, they got Mattrick out of there and Spencer has been slowly but surely cleaning up his mess. I mean the 180 Xbox has pulled has been impressive. Literally all the complaints from launch are now opposite and they have implemented new highly requested features such as backwards compatibility, and they continually add new features to Xbox Live (see what they announced at E3). They even have the custom controller shop which is just awesome. That is the type of thing that should have been available on all consoles years ago…

So as you can see, I have absolutely no problems pointing out flaws in products I buy, or in the companies that make them. My issue with you is that you blather on about nonsense without any evidence or reason. If you simply said “hey I prefer Playstation for X, Y, and Z” I probably wouldn’t have even responded. But instead you make stuff up and resort to name calling for absolutely no reason.

Skorge

What games do you play on PS4 aside JRPG’s and 3rd person action games? Destiny and COD?

marhorn

You don’t play games, you don’t have any…..because clearly you spend all your time and energy spreading hate! The whole internet knows you are like this….it happens in every page you visit….

You have no games to play….while xbox one owners are all busy actually playing and having fun!

Funny how say that yet you have me blocked but you can’t seem to ignore me.

XbotMK1

You’re typing about fallacies yet the fallacies found in your comments show that you’re a Microsoft drone. Way to go!

While you are waiting a year to pay $600 or more for a temporary and miniscule spec advantage from a company that is lying to you, copying VR from a competitor, and basing decisions off that competitor, everyone else will be paying less this year for more games.

Jonathan Wallace

What fallacies? And no, me having a different opinion than you on what consumer product I buy is not a fallacy.

“While you are waiting a year to pay $600…” – We actually have no idea what the price point will be. Microsoft learned from their horrible Xbox One launch that price is a HUGE factor to console gamers. So I doubt they would make the same mistake two launches in a row, that is unless they are purposefully marketing this as a “high-end” console VS the Xbox One S as the “low-end” but so far I doubt that. Too soon to tell which direction they are heading there.

“…for a temporary and miniscule spec advantage…” – Compared to what? It is 4-5 times more powerful than the Xbox One and PS4 (definitely not miniscule – may just be the largest generational jump in specs we have seen yet for a new console). It is also supposedly 40% more powerful than the NEO (also not what I would call ‘miniscule’). As for it being ‘temporary’, well yeah all spec advantages in the history of tech are temporary, so what is your point?

“…copying VR from a competitor…” Lol, are you saying Sony invented VR? No? Yeah that’s what I thought. That is like saying that Sony copied Xbox Live despite online gaming existing on PCs long before.

“…basing decisions off that competitor…” Seriously? Any company that doesn’t make decisions based on their competitors fail. Sony makes decisions based off their competitors as well, because they aren’t idiots.

“…everyone else will be paying less this year for more games.” Ok, I don’t even know what this is about. Who is paying less than who for what games? I don’t understand how not buying Scorpio saves you on games. Could you expand on that?
Still waiting on you to specifically point out my fallacies that make me a drone. Looking forward to it!

XbotMK1

“It is 4-5 times more powerful than the Xbox One and PS4 (definitely not miniscule – may just be the largest generational jump in specs we have seen yet for a new console)”

You must think people are really stupid if you think people will believe your bs. The Scorpio has 6 teraflops. That is a little over 3 times the power of a PS4. The PS4 has about 10 times the power of a PS3 so no, the Scorpio isn’t anywhere near the largest generational jump. And why are you talking like this is a new generation? Is the Xbox One such a failure you’re ready for a new gen?

“Are you saying Sony invented VR? No? That is like saying that Sony coppied Xbox Live”

Probably the dumbest attempt at damage control and spin that you’ve tried yet. I never stated Sony invented VR but that doesn’t mean Microsoft isn’t copying Sony. Sony’s VR device is unique and Microsoft backtracked on their stance on VR and is responding directly to PSVR. But Microsoft is relying on Scorpio and Oculus because they don’t have their own headset. The amount of things Microsoft has mimic from Sony this gen alone, is far greater than everything I can think of that Sony mimiced from Microsoft in every generation combined.

“Still waiting on you to specifically point out my fallacies that make me a Microsoft drone”

Your quick reply in defense of kee1haul, your constant denial and attempts at spinning the argument is good enough.

Jonathan Wallace

“You must think people are really stupid if you think people will believe your bs. The Scorpio has 6 teraflops. That is a little over 3 times the power of a PS4. The PS4 has about 10 times the power of a PS3 so no, the Scorpio isn’t anywhere near the largest generational jump. And why are you talking like this is a new generation? Is the Xbox One such a failure you’re ready for a new gen?” – Oops, I stand corrected. I admit I was just speculating about the comparison to former generation jumps. Also, I guessed on the math comparing Scorpio to PS4. Regardless though, 3 times more powerful is still ABSOLUTELY not “miniscule” as you originally stated. No by far.

“And why are you talking like this is a new generation? Is the Xbox One such a failure you’re ready for a new gen?” – It may be more correct to call it an iteration, but many people were disappointed with the power of this generation. Neither PS4 or Xbox One have all that impressive specs compared to what we were hoping for, so in that sense BOTH PS4 and Xbox One failed me in that respective. I’m still thoroughly enjoying this generation, but they both came up short in my book.

Also, I HATED how long the PS3/360 generation was. So I am hoping that the Neo and Scorpio are treated as a new generation. I predict that despite what both Sony and Microsoft are saying about these new consoles not shortening the PS4/One life spans, that we will see Neo/Scorpio exclusives about two years after they launch.

“Probably the dumbest attempt at damage control and spin that you’ve tried yet. I never stated Sony invented VR but that doesn’t mean Microsoft isn’t copying Sony.” – Lol, ok great, by your logic, Sony copied Microsoft on Xbox Live. Xbox wasn’t the first to have robust online gaming, but Sony implemented their own in response to Microsoft. How is this damage control? We are just talking about VR, what damage am I controlling?

“Sony’s VR device is unique and Microsoft backtracked on their stance on VR and is responding directly to PSVR. But Microsoft is relying on Scorpio and Oculus because they don’t have their own headset.” – So? I never said that Microsoft isn’t responding directly to PSVR. I specifically stated that, “Any company that doesn’t make decisions based on their competitors fail. Sony makes decisions based off their competitors as well, because they aren’t idiots.” Why is it a bad thing that Microsoft isn’t developing its own proprietary VR headset? If Microsoft partners with Oculus it will be a GREAT buy because they could also use it with their PC and the Oculus store. That is better for consumers. Even if Sony opens it up to the PC, it will likely only work with their PSVR store.

“The amount of things Microsoft has mimic from Sony this gen alone, is far greater than everything I can think of that Sony mimiced from Microsoft in every generation combined.” – What exactly has Microsoft mimicked, aside from VR? You lost me there.

“Your quick reply in defense of kee1haul, your constant denial and attempts at spinning the argument is good enough.” – There is still no mention of any fallacy I have made. Calling you out for name calling isn’t a fallacy. Denial and “spinning” arguments are not fallacies. Not sure you know what a fallacy is. What am I even denying by the way? Mostly what I have done is give simple reasons why a person might not have the same opinion as you.

“Because Microsoft has a history of lying, ripping off their fanbase, and backtracking on greedy anti consumer and anti competitive business practices only after they’re outsold by PlayStation”

Where as Sony has a history of lying, ripping off their fanbase, and backtracking on greedy anti consumer and anti competitive business practices when they were getting thrashed at the start of gen 7. Just make sure you don’t have a Muslim name in your PSN ID or Sony will ban you and take all of your digital games and purchases

“The NX will actually have exclusives.”

The Neo will have exclusives, 3 of them you’ll actually want to play, if the Neo is going to bombard me with dozens of Star Ocean V level games with the occasional gem, I’m not missing much then am I?

“the specs of the Xbox Scorpio aren’t much better than the PS4 Neo, and SIE will probably release a stronger PlayStation soon after the Scorpio.”

The difference between the Scorpio and Neo is considerably larger than the difference between the Xbox One and the PS4, but of course now that the Sony console is the weaker one “power doesn’t matter” all of a sudden. And yes between all of their resources tied up in the Neo and PSVR and not likely to see a return on those investments for year, Sony is suddenly going to magically sh*t out another console in the near future lol.

“It’s funny seeing Microsoft drones flip flop ”

It’s funny to see you flip flop several times in this one article alone.

XbotMK1

The Xbox Scorpio was not a bold move. It was an obvious move made out of desperation and the only logical option they had.

Microsoft knows they don’t have an answer to the PSVR, they know that the PS4 has way more games, and they knew SIE was working on the PS4 Neo.

So Microsoft simply decided to wait and see how strong the Neo would be and decided to make a box stronger than the Neo even if it meant launching a year later because that was the only chance they had at getting a bragging point. That is why they’re only talking about the specs of the Scorpio now after spending 4 years saying specs don’t matter and defending the weaker specs in the Xbone.

Even though this was Microsoft’s only option as pathetic and dirty as they are, at this point it is too late for Microsoft. People who already own a PS4 have no incentive to buy a Scorpio, especially with PSVR coming soon, PS4 Neo coming soon, all PS4 games being compatible with the PS4 Neo, all future games will run on the PS4 and PS4 Neo, and when SIE will probably come out with another upgrade soon after Scorpio. Now that upgradable consoles are possible, bragging over specs is becoming pointless.

Kinect

Microsoft’s desperate Ultra HD console is going to be an ultra flop just like the Xbone.

No one gives a damn about the Xbox after Microsoft’s embarrassing DRM scandal, and greedy attempts like charging for Netflix. How many things has Microsoft backtracked on and how many innovations have they stolen from Sony this gen? I can’t even keep track. You’ve got to be very dumb to give Microsoft your money.

Jonathan Wallace

Hmmm I think a good example of an “ultra flop” would be the Wii U. Heck, even the Xbox 360 was arguably a flop because of the RROD, though it was still an awesome console. And yes, the Xbox One launch was HORRENDOUS! lol, they shot themselves in the foot repeatedly with that.

However, the new head of Xbox listened to his customer base (unlike the former boss, Mattrick) and they have steadily reversed positions on everything that gamers complained about.

Now I am honestly asking this, but what innovations has Microsoft stolen from Sony this gen? Aside from VR which we discussed below, I can’t think of anything.

“You’ve got to be very dumb to give Microsoft your money.” – I guess I’m dumb then 😀 because in November of 2015 I upgraded from my 360 to my Xbox One. Or maybe I’m not dumb, because I have had loads of fun, and haven’t yet had any regrets.

marhorn

Kinect and XbotMK1 are the same person…..he uses alt accounts to upvote himself and even have conversations with himself (how nuts is that?)

Just google either name and filter by a week, I’ve got him admitting it as well.

Lol you’re so salty over the Xbox One and Microsoft that you made an alt account? Wow lol

Reclaimer13

No way the Neo is coming out as late as mid 2017. Andrew House was surprised that MS announced the Scorpio a year in advance.. If the Neo comes out mid 2017 that would be a year since Sony announced it.

Jonathan Wallace

That’s the thing though, Sony HASN’T announced it yet. They have confirmed that it exists because there were so many leaks and rumors, but that is hardly the same as an “announcement”. For me, that sort of timetable doesn’t start until they make a formal announcement, at least such that MS did with Scorpio at E3. But then again, I may be nitpicking the semantics haha

Actually, I just looked up on PS3 wiki that the PS3 was officially announced May 2005 (at E3) and then released in November of 2006. So really, it could be as late as November 2017 for the Neo’s release and would still be on part with the PS3 release. Even the PS4 was released nine months after its announcement, so nine months from now would be in March 2017. Mid 2017 is right in the middle.